Latest news with #NationalCapitalCommission
CBC
3 days ago
- General
- CBC
Westboro Beach reopens after renovations
Westboro Beach has been reopened to the public after extensive renovations performed by the National Capital Commission (NCC), which added picnic space, outdoor showers, gender-neutral bathrooms and more. The design was approved in 2022 and closed that summer for construction. It has only been partially reopened since then. The $21 million project was partially funded by the City of Ottawa. It agreed to contribute as part of the agreement with the NCC for the light rail transit extension. An ice cream shop and cafe are open in the pavilion and the attached restaurant is expected to open soon. Yasir Naqvi, MP for Ottawa Centre, attended the opening ceremony Sunday. "I look forward to seeing our community embrace this transformed beach, creating lasting memories and continuing to cherish our vital green spaces," he said in a statement.
CTV News
6 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
No alcoholic drinks allowed in federal parks in Ottawa, as city to allow alcohol in some parks this summer
People look out from Kiweki Point (formerly Nepean Point) in Ottawa on the day of its re-opening following a major redevelopment, on Friday, May 16, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang Parkgoers will be allowed to enjoy a cold beer or cooler in select Ottawa parks this summer, but you won't be able to drink an alcoholic beverage in federal parks like Major's Hill Park and Kìwekì Point, along the Rideau Canal and on Parliament Hill. A City of Ottawa committee approved a pilot project to allow alcohol consumption in designated areas of municipal parks this summer, with the parks selected by councillors. Under the plan, alcohol will be allowed in city parks between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m., from July 1 to Oct. 31. Alcoholic drinks will be forbidden within five metres of beaches, sports fields and playgrounds. But while the city will allow people to enjoy an alcoholic beverage in municipal parks, you won't be allowed to legally possess alcoholic drinks in federal parks across Ottawa. The National Capital Commission tells CTV News Ottawa the rules for alcohol consumption in NCC managed parks and lands are in accordance with Ontario rules. 'In Québec and in Ontario, alcohol consumption on NCC managed lands is subject to section 36 of the National Capital Commission Traffic and Property Regulations: 'No person shall have liquor in his possession on or in the property of the Commission other than in accordance with the laws of the province in which the Commission property is situated.,'' the NCC said in a statement. The NCC says bistros and patios in several parks sell alcoholic beverages for consumption on-site: Confederation Park, Remic Rapids Park, Patterson Creek Park, Hog's Back Park, as well as the taverns in Major's Hill Park and Bate Island Park. The Liquor Licence Act allows municipalities to designate public places where alcohol consumption is allowed.
Ottawa Citizen
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Ottawa Citizen
Macklem and McNee: Sussex Drive deserves better from the NCC
A row of luxury apartment buildings on Sussex Drive, directly across from the Prime Minister's official residence and a block from Rideau Hall, is being proposed by the National Capital Commission, buried in their upcoming Core Area Plan. Despite the NCC's mandate to ensure Canada's capital remains a source of pride for all Canadians, and a legacy for generations to come, the agency apparently believes a major apartment complex is appropriate for the three blocks of the ceremonial route nearest to the Governor General's residence. We have to disagree. Article content Article content Article content This proposal should be excised from the Core Area Plan before it comes up for approval at the June meeting of the NCC board. There are three critical reasons why such a development doesn't belong here: national significance, security and traffic congestion. Article content Sussex Drive is more than just a road. It is one of Canada's most iconic ceremonial routes, lined with diplomatic missions, national institutions, and heritage properties. Given this, we question the rationale for eliminating what little green space is left, especially in light of the NCC's role as the 'principal steward of nationally significant public spaces' in the capital. The current calm green squares of parkland, so close to Rideau Hall, 24 Sussex Drive, the French Embassy and South African High Commission, enhance the ceremonial route for residents and visitors alike. Article content Article content The NCC has said it wants to attract more tourists to the area. Tourists do not visit Ottawa—or Sussex Drive—to admire apartment blocks. They come for the historical resonance, the public parks, and the dignified architecture. Article content In terms of security, the proposed building site is also alarmingly close to several of Canada's most sensitive properties: the Prime Minister's residence, the Governor General's home at Rideau Hall, the Official Guest Residence, and multiple embassies. Introducing a large residential population so close to these significant addresses raises serious security questions. For locations charged with national and international diplomacy, any additional security burden is not a trivial matter.
CBC
23-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Federal public service shrinks for 1st time in a decade
The federal public service has shrunk for the first time since 2015, after shedding nearly 10,000 jobs over the last year, according to new data released by the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS). Of the 9,807 jobs cut between 2024 and 2025, a significant majority — 7,051, or 72 per cent — were in federal agencies such as Parks Canada, the National Capital Commission and the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). The rest — 2,756 or 28 per cent — were in the core public administration. In March 2024, 367,772 federal public servants were employed between the agencies and the administration. One year later, that number had dropped to 357,965, a 2.6 per cent decrease in the overall workforce. This data does not include members of the RCMP, the Canadian Armed Forces or a few other employers. The last time the federal public service shrank was a decade ago. There were 262,817 public servants in 2013, which dropped to 257,138 in 2014, and again to 257,034 in 2015. The number had been rising steadily until now. CBC has reached out to TBS to ask how many of the jobs lost were in Ottawa and Gatineau, but has not received that information. CRA most affected In November, the Treasury Board updated public service unions about how it was instructing departments to reduce spending to meet savings targets of $15 billion over four years, and the unions warned job cuts were coming. The cuts were not spread evenly across the departments and agencies: Most of the recent cuts took place at CRA where 6,656 jobs were lost, leaving the tax agency with 52,499 employees. CRA has announced rounds of layoffs over the last year, with more coming just this week. Among the core departments, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada also took a big hit, losing 1,944 employees and leaving it with 11,148 workers. A handful of departments and agencies saw growth in their workforces over last year, including Natural Resources Canada, which gained 293 employees, National Defence (381 employees), Global Affairs Canada (218 employees) and the Communications Security Establishment (196 employees). During the recent federal election campaign, Prime Minister Mark Carney and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre both vowed to stop wasteful spending in the federal public service. Poilievre said a Conservative government would reduce both the size of the public service and its use of contractors. Carney said his government would cap the public service and emphasize the use of artificial intelligence (AI).
CBC
20-05-2025
- General
- CBC
Kìwekì Point river lookout 'invites reflection, connection and renewal'
The National Capital Commission officially reopened Kìwekì Point and a new bridge connecting it with Major's Hill Park. The design highlights Algonquin Anishinabeg voices.
